Cross Country Prepares for NCAA's Toughest Regional

KALAMAZOO -- The Western Michigan women's cross country team heads to the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship at Ottawa Park in Toledo, Ohio, on Saturday at 1 p.m.

The Broncos will be battling it out on the 6k course with 33 other Division I cross country teams in one of the toughest regions in the country. The region features four of the top 30 teams in the country including 12th ranked Michigan State and 15th ranked Michigan. WMU will also have to contend with Mid-American Conference Champions Toledo.

Last season the Broncos saw improvement and finished in the top 15 for their best performance since 2004. Samantha Tomerlin finished 26th overall, the highest any Bronco runner has placed in the Great Lakes Regional Championship in program history. Senior Amber Brunmeier and junior Rachel Whitley will look to pass Tomerlin's mark on Saturday. Whitley finished less than a second away from being named All-MAC as she helped the Broncos to a sixth place finish at this season's MAC Championship.